Grade 6 Earth and Space Science (ESS) Topic: Rocks, Minerals and Soil Content: Specific, quantifiable properties of minerals
Lesson Plans Rock vs. Mineral
Rocks and Minerals Lesson Plans give students opportunities to use words to describe visual, textural, and other physical qualities of sample rock specimens. Using compare and contrast skills, students will sort and classify the specimens according to their assessments of the qualities present in each. Students will use simple symbols to create a Venn diagram for classification. Direct Aims of Rocks and Minerals Lesson Plans #1
To use observation to sort and classify a group of rocks and minerals
Using comparisons to make groups
Indirect Aims Rocks and Minerals Lesson Plans # 1
Preparation for the distinction between mineral (one element or compound) and rock (composed of various minerals).
Preparation for types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
Materials Needed: Rocks and Minerals Lesson Plans #1
A collection of rocks and minerals.
A magnifying glass for each student.
Chart paper for recording student observations.
Small cards to write an observation for sorting.
Pieces of paper with large shapes for grouping the specimens.
Rocks and Minerals Lesson Plans #1 The Lesson
Layout the specimens on a rug.
Ask the students to look closely at the specimens and to think of words or phrases that could be used to describe the specimens.
Record their words. (Here are a few significant observations you might want to throw in if they don’t happen to mention them: made of one “thing”, made of two or more “things”, tiny grains, no grains, pieces of other rocks (or fossils), regular shape, irregular shape)
Choose one of the observations. Write it on a card. Lay the card next to or inside of one of the large paper shapes.
Place all the specimens that fit that observation inside the shape.
Choose another observation. Write it on another card. Repeat the process above, laying the specimens inside the large shape.
Note if specimens move from one large shape to another.
When they do, overlap the shapes like a Venn Diagram. Place the specimens that “moved” in the overlapping space.
Students may choose to repeat this activity on their own. If all observations are written out on cards, students will also get reading practice. Older students can record their observations using the names of the specimens.
Literature: The Metal Man by Jack Williamson Rock &Minerals(DK Eyewitness Books) by R.F. Symes Minerals and The Rock Cycle (Shaping and Reshaping of Earth's Surface) by Joanne Mattern Discover Nature in the Rocks: Things to Know and Things to Do by Rebecca Lawton, Diana Lawton, and Susan Panttaja
Text References Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science Experiments on Rocks and the Rock Cycle (Do-It-Yourself Science) by Zella Williams Rocks and Minerals: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects by Janice VanCleave http://www.uky.edu/KGS/rocksmn/
_ Content: Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks characteristics for ID and/or classification
Lesson Plans
What is Igneous, Metamorphic and Sedimentary Rocks?
Objectives
Students will understand the following:
1.
Old rocks on Earth’s surface are gradually reduced to tiny pieces, or sediments, by erosion caused by water, wind, or glacial ice.
2.
Sedimentary rock is formed when those small pieces of rock are compressed into larger rock formations.
3.
Erosion breaks the rock down again, and the cycle continues.
Procedures
1.
Review with your students what they know about the three types of rock—sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic.
2.
Tell them that they are going to write children’s stories to explain to younger students how sedimentary rock is formed.
3.
Suggest they create characters that are tiny pieces of rock or grains of sand. The plot should illustrate the process by which tiny rock fragments are deposited into riverbeds, seas, or deserts and compressed to form layers of sedimentary rock.
4.
Encourage students to do research about sedimentary rock and the rock cycle before they begin their stories, to be sure they do not convey any incorrect information to younger readers.
5.
Instruct students that their stories should dramatize their understanding of the rock cycle and should be illustrated with diagrams that clearly show the cycle’s different stages. Students should include decorative illustrations as well.
Adaptations for Older Students:
Have students use the Internet and other research materials to find out about the Mohs scratch test and how it is used to identify different types of rock. Students can then collect rock samples and use the Mohs test to classify and label their samples. They should use a field guide to check their identifications. Discussion Questions
1.
Have you noticed the effects of erosion on any rock formations that you’ve seen, either near your home or elsewhere? Discuss the places where you’ve noticed erosion, and speculate about the causes for that erosion.
2.
Compare the geology of your home to one of the well-known regions of the country that has distinct types of rock formations, such as northern Arizona (where the Grand Canyon is located) and Hawaii (volcanic islands). How were the rock formations in each place created, and what are the main differences between them?
3.
Why do you think geologists are eager to study the processes involved in creating and changing rock formations? Explain what useful knowledge can be gained from studying rocks and rock formations. Discrepant Events:
Literature:
Rocks: Hard, Soft, Smooth and Rough by Natalie Rosinsky
Sedimentary Rocks and The Rock Cycle (The Shaping and Reshaping of Earth's Surface) by Joanne Mattern
Igneous Rocks and the Rock Cycle (Shaping and Reshaping of Earth's Surface) by Joanne Mattern
Text References
Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science
Experiments on Rocks and the Rock Cycle (Do-It-Yourself Science) by Zella Williams
Rocks and Minerals: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects by Janice VanCleave
Related Vocabulary Words:
Magma, Lava, intrusive igneous rock, extrusive igneous rock, strata, stratification, foliated, nonfoliated
Content: Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks form in different ways
Learners will be able to identify a variety of factors and processes pertaining to rock formation, rock types, and the rock cycle. The overall instructional goal of The Rock Cycle Race is to provide practice and reinforcement for sixth-grade science students regarding this instructional objective. In the state of California, curriculum frameworks focus on teaching Earth Science at the sixth-grade level (http://www.cde.ca.gov/board/pdf/science.pdf). The learning standards established for sixth-grade students in San Diego City Schools (http://www-internal.sandi.net/standards/HTML/SciK12.html) is typical for many districts and include developing an understanding of the earth's structure as well as the processes that shape the earth. The Rock Cycle Race supports these standards. Students play this game by following paths that replicate the processes of the rock cycle. Students advance on the board by successfully answering questions designed to test and reinforce their understanding of these processes and the rock types created from these processes.
Learners & Context of Use
The game targets middle-school students taking integrated physical science which includes a unit on Earth materials, specifically rocks and the rock cycle. In California schools, this content is presented to sixth-grade students ranging in age from 11 to 12 years. Generally, students will have had little prior knowledge regarding rocks and the rock cycle. The game is designed to be played in a middle-school science classroom. Few accommodations are needed to play The Rock Cycle Race. Table or floor space is needed to set up and play the game. The game can be played once during a 50 minute middle-school class period by three players, or by six players with three teams of two students. Students will need approximately five minutes to set up the board and five minutes to clean up with actual play time lasting between 30 and 35 minutes.
Object of the Game
The Rock Cycle Race is a race board game in which players move along the path of the rock cycle. All players begin at "Start" and the first to reach "Finish" wins the game. The playing path is divided into board spaces that provide players with a choice in the direction of the path taken as well as shortcuts and obstacles. Players advance along the board by correctly answering question cards. Each question card has two levels of questions-"Rock Questions" and the more difficult "Boulder Questions". The Boulder level questions allow players to advance more board spaces. Before the question is read, the player chooses the level of question she/he will try to answer.
Game Materials
Inside the game box, you will find the following objects
Rock Playing Pieces
The Playing Board
3 Sets of Question Cards: Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic
A 30-Second Timer
A Die
The Playing Board The path for The Rock Cycle Race board is divided into three colors corresponding to the three rock categories - igneous is red, sedimentary is blue, and metamorphic is green.
Question Cards There are also three types of question cards corresponding to the three kinds of rocks - igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. The three types of cards use the same color plan as the board path. Players answer questions that match the path section they are in. For example, if a player is in the Metamorphic section (green) they answer questions from the Metamorphic Rock Question cards (also green). Each card contains two questions: a "Rock Question" (an easy level) and a "Boulder Question," (a more difficult level). The "Rock Question" allows the player to advance 1 to 3 spaces if answered correctly. The "Boulder Question" allows the player to advance 4 to 5 spaces. If the player answers the question incorrectly, she/he will be penalized by the same number of spaces she/he would have been rewarded.
Time Required
A typical game can be played once during a 50 minute middle-school class period by three players, or alternatively, six players with three teams of two players. Students will need approximately five minutes to set up the board and five minutes to clean up. Actual play will last 30 to 35 minutes.
The Rules
Set up Open the board and place the three types of question cards, Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic, face down on the designated areas on the board. Play
Each player selects a rock as a playing piece and places their rock on "Start."
Each player rolls the die. The player with highest number goes first. The student to her/his right is the Question Reader who draws from the matching question card pile and reads the question. For example, play begins in the red, Igneous Rock section, and so the Question Reader draws the top card from the Igneous Rock Questions. The third student is the Timekeeper and turns on the 30 second timer. With each turn, these roles shift to the right.
Before the Question Reader reads the question and the number of spaces each is worth, the Player must pick which type of question to answer: either a "Rock Question" (easy level) or a "Boulder Question" (more difficult level). If answered correctly, a "Rock Question" will allow the Player to advance forward up to 3 spaces. A "Boulder Question" will allow the Player to advance 4 or 5 spaces.
Once the question and its worth are read, the Timekeeper turns the hour-glass timer. When time has run, she/he out calls "Time". At that point, the Player must give her/his final answer. The Question Reader will see the correct answer on the card and will verify if the answer is correct.
If the Player answers correctly before time runs out, she/he advances the number of board spaces stated on the card. If the Player answers incorrectly, she/he moves backwards the number of spaces stated on the card. No one can move backwards further than the Start space.
Next, the Player to the right takes her/his turn. The Question Reader and the Timekeeper roles also shift to the right.
Rules
The object of the game is to reach "Finish" and the first player to do so wins the game. Players do NOT need to have the exact number of spaces. For example, if the Player is only 3 spaces from finish and correctly answers a Boulder Question worth 5 spaces, then she/he can advance to "Finish" and wins the game.
Each player attempts only one question per turn.
The Question Reader draws cards from the top of the question pile and returns to the bottom of the question pile.
If the Player lands on a space with directions, she/he completes those directions before the next person takes her/his turn. For example, if the Player lands on the board space that says, " Cooled Advance 3" then she/he moves her/his rock piece 3 spaces forward on the board before the next person's turn. This applies with forward movement and backward movement.
For True/False questions, players only need to say if the statement is True or False. When false, the card states the correct answer which is read by the Question Reader.
If players land on a Detour space, they must take that path. For example, landing on the "Submerge Detour" forces the Player to proceed along the Submergence Subway.
At "Process Point", players can move in either direction.
Where "Submergence Subway" and "Crystallization Crossway" intersect, players must stay on their current path and may not cross over to another path.
Variations We designed the game to accommodate various numbers of players and types of students.
To include more students, the game can be play with three teams of two students.
To accommodate for GATE, ESL, and other student at different ability levels:
All players can play at the Boulder level.
All players can play at the Rock Question level. Players would keep playing until they answer incorrectly and then they lose their turn.
To enable play of the game by the whole class, the teacher can take the role of the Question Reader and Timekeeper. Students can be divided into three very large teams. The board can be posted on the wall or chalk board.
Design Process
Ellington, Addinall, and Percival (1982) discuss the 'snakes and ladders' class of board games and points to The Great Blood Race as a good example of a game that teaches students about the human circulatory system. It occurred to us that such a format could easily support the learning of systems, processes, and cycles found in science. We decided to focus on the rock cycle since one of our team members had a background in earth science and could serve as a subject matter expert. We gathered background information on the game's content through both web searches and using grade-appropriate text books used in local San Diego schools. The game board was based on an image we found athttp://duke.usask.ca/~reeves/prog/geoe118/geoe118.011.html. We also contacted an earth science teacher to review the questions for content and appropriateness. To determine the conduct of the play, we held brainstorming and play trial sessions. Initially, we intended for players to use a spinner to determine the level of difficulty for each question. However, we soon realized that this was contrary to the literature regarding motivational theory. Keller & Suzuki (1988) point out that one element critical to motivating students is their confidence. Although there are many dimensions to confidence, they state that three of the most important are perceived competence, perceived control, and expectancy for success. Allowing players to select the difficulty of each question supports these dimensions, particularly the latter two. In addition, allowing players to choose levels of questions, and consequently the number of spaces they can move, increases the risk factor for players. Players must strategize. Also, by basing the movement of their pieces on questions about the rock cycle, players are encouraged/motivated to increase their knowledge of the rock cycle in order to win.
"Making Sedimentary Rocks"
Introduction
Review what a sedimentary rock is. Review common types of sedimentary rocks (sandstone, conglomerate, shale and limestone).
Have students stack papers on their desk. Ask them which paper got there first (A: the one on the bottom). Sedimentary rocks form in the same way, in layers, with the older ones at the bottom.
Tell class that during this project they will simulate (or model) what happens over hundreds of thousands to millions of years as sedimentary rocks are formed in layers in different environments.
Discuss what a model is. (Examples of models: model airplane, dolls, dinosaur model, video games)
Divide students into groups of about 4.
For each of the environments in the table below (river, beach, shallow and deep ocean):
Have students describe from their experience what the environment is like. What sorts of things do they think they would see there?
After describing an environment, have student groups choose which of the materials they would include in their milk carton to represent that environment (these items are listed in the second and third columns of the table).
Have students fill one of their cups about 2/3 full of the appropriate sediment and associated fossils.
Mix plaster with water according to manufacturers directions. Have each student group fill the remainder of their cup with plaster and stir. Explain that this is much faster than rocks are actually made. The plaster acts like the cement that holds real sedimentary rocks together.
Have each group put sediment mixed with plaster into their milk carton and pat it down to form a flat layer.
Start the next environment in the table by the same process. Make sure that student groups do not mix different layers or shake their milk carton. Mix plaster in small batches (one for each environment) to avoid it drying too quickly. For the limestone layer, mix plaster a little more watery than usual because chalk will absorb water. The plaster of the first layer does not need to be dry before adding the next. If it is really soupy, sprinkle a little dry plaster on the top before adding the next layer.
After plaster has dried (about 20 minutes), take the layers of sedimentary rock out of the milk carton. (You may need to rip the milk carton off!)
Have student groups rub it lightly with very fine sand paper and draw what the layers of "rock" look like in their notebook (noting colors, textures, and other features in the margins of their picture). Show them images of real rock layers from places like the Grand Canyon, southern Utah, or something closer to home.
ASSESSMENT:
If your class has already covered types of sedimentary rocks, ask students to identify the types of sedimentary rocks present in their model, even though they are not real.
Ask students to recall which types of environments each rock type represents. If the environment in this one spot changed over time from a river to a beach to a shallow ocean to a deep ocean what must have happened? Sea level rise!
Extension: Have students be paleontologists and dig for fossils in the layers of rock. Where would you expect to find the most clamshell fossils? Fish fossils? Use picks, chisels and small hammers to find them.
EXTENSIONS:
Have students be paleontologists and dig for fossils in the layers of rock. Where would you expect to find the most clamshell fossils? Fish fossils? Use picks, chisels and small hammers to find them.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Sea level changes can be caused when either the land level sinks (called subsidence) or when the water level rises, or when both processes are happening together. Water level can rise because glaciers melt, adding water to the oceans, or when plate tectonic movements shallow the ocean basins displacing water onto the edges of continents. It is a natural process that has gone on since there have been oceans on Earth!
This activity works best when students have already reviewed types of sedimentary rocks (conglomerate, sandstone, shale, and limestone). Note that the same rock types can form in several different environments. This is a good topic of discussion, especially if students recognize that the soil is potting soil found on land. Shale that forms in swampy floodplain areas can look very much like shale that is from the ocean floor or even shale from a lake bottom. Fossils are a good way to tell the difference. Similarly, sand dunes formed in the desert are made out of sandstone just like the beach sand (and not all beaches are made of sand). One must be a detective to figure out what past environments were like!
For a shorter demonstration version of this activity, omit the plaster and milk cartons and tell students the story of changing environments as you add layers of sediment and "fossils" to a rectangular fish tank (or any container that you can see through). They are able to see the layers right away, although the connection to sedimentary rocks might be more of a challenge.
Discrepant Events
STEM Events
Simulations:
Websites/ORC Sites
Literature: The Rock Factory: The Story About the Rock Cycle by Jacqui Bailey What is the Rock Cycle? (Let's Rock!) by Natalie Hyde
Text References Investigating Rocks: They Rock Cycle (Do It Yourself) by Will Hurd Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science Experiments on Rocks and the Rock Cycle (Do-It-Yourself Science) by Zella Williams Rocks and Minerals: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects by Janice VanCleave
Related Vocabulary Words:
Rock Cycle, Rock, erosion, deposition, composition, texture
Content: Soil is unconsolidated material that contains nutrient matter and weathered rock
Lesson Plans
Describing Soil
Provide small groups of students with magnifying lenses and samples of several types of local soil.
Have student empty each sample onto a piece of white paper and examine the soil.
Have student record their observations about each sample's composition, color, particle size, texture, and moisture content.
Ask groups to hypothesize how each soil type formed and what type of plant life might grow in the soil.
Discrepant Events " Research Different Types of Soil" pg. 179-180 from Science Wizardry for Kids by Margaret Kendra and Phyllis S. Williams
STEM Events
Simulations:
Websites/ORC Sites
Literature:
Sand, Silt, and Mud and the Rock Cycle (Shaping and Reshaping of Earth's Surface) by Joanne Mattern
Text References
Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science
Experiments on Rocks and the Rock Cycle (Do-It-Yourself Science) by Zella Williams
Rocks and Minerals: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects__ by Janice VanCleave
Related Vocabulary Words:
Soil, Parent Rock, Bedrock, Soil Texture, Soil Structure, Humus, Leaching
Earth and Space Science (ESS)
Topic: Rocks, Minerals and Soil
Content: Specific, quantifiable properties of minerals
Lesson Plans
Rock vs. Mineral
Rocks and Minerals Lesson Plans give students opportunities to use words to describe visual, textural, and other physical qualities of sample rock specimens. Using compare and contrast skills, students will sort and classify the specimens according to their assessments of the qualities present in each. Students will use simple symbols to create a Venn diagram for classification.
Direct Aims of Rocks and Minerals Lesson Plans #1
Indirect Aims Rocks and Minerals Lesson Plans # 1
Materials Needed: Rocks and Minerals Lesson Plans #1
Rocks and Minerals Lesson Plans #1 The Lesson
When they do, overlap the shapes like a Venn Diagram. Place the specimens that “moved” in the overlapping space.
Discrepant Events
STEM Events
Simulations:
"Break if Up!" from Geology Rocks! by Cindy Blobaum page 35
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/rock_landscapes/classification_rocks_rev1.shtml
"Crystal Garden" from Fizz,Foam, Splatter and Ooze: 50 Cool Science Concoctions by Joe Rhatigan and Veronika Alice Gunter page 28
Websites/ORC Sites
http://www.rocksforkids.com
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/cube/al.html
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/minerals/index.html
http://www.mineralogy4kids.org/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/rock_landscapes/classification_rocks_rev1.shtml
Literature:
The Metal Man by Jack Williamson
Rock &Minerals (DK Eyewitness Books) by R.F. Symes
Minerals and The Rock Cycle (Shaping and Reshaping of Earth's Surface) by Joanne Mattern
Discover Nature in the Rocks: Things to Know and Things to Do by Rebecca Lawton, Diana Lawton, and Susan Panttaja
Text References
Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science
Experiments on Rocks and the Rock Cycle (Do-It-Yourself Science) by Zella Williams
Rocks and Minerals: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects by Janice VanCleave
http://www.uky.edu/KGS/rocksmn/
Related Vocabulary Words:
Mineral,Elements, Compound, Crystals, Silicate Minerals, Nonsilicate, Luster, Streak, Cleavage, Fracture, Hardness, Density
_
Content: Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks characteristics for ID and/or classification
Lesson Plans
What is Igneous, Metamorphic and Sedimentary Rocks?
Objectives
Students will understand the following:
1.
Old rocks on Earth’s surface are gradually reduced to tiny pieces, or sediments, by erosion caused by water, wind, or glacial ice.
2.
Sedimentary rock is formed when those small pieces of rock are compressed into larger rock formations.
3.
Erosion breaks the rock down again, and the cycle continues.
Procedures
1.
Review with your students what they know about the three types of rock—sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic.
2.
Tell them that they are going to write children’s stories to explain to younger students how sedimentary rock is formed.
3.
Suggest they create characters that are tiny pieces of rock or grains of sand. The plot should illustrate the process by which tiny rock fragments are deposited into riverbeds, seas, or deserts and compressed to form layers of sedimentary rock.
4.
Encourage students to do research about sedimentary rock and the rock cycle before they begin their stories, to be sure they do not convey any incorrect information to younger readers.
5.
Instruct students that their stories should dramatize their understanding of the rock cycle and should be illustrated with diagrams that clearly show the cycle’s different stages. Students should include decorative illustrations as well.
Adaptations for Older Students:
Have students use the Internet and other research materials to find out about the Mohs scratch test and how it is used to identify different types of rock. Students can then collect rock samples and use the Mohs test to classify and label their samples. They should use a field guide to check their identifications.
Discussion Questions
1.
Have you noticed the effects of erosion on any rock formations that you’ve seen, either near your home or elsewhere? Discuss the places where you’ve noticed erosion, and speculate about the causes for that erosion.
2.
Compare the geology of your home to one of the well-known regions of the country that has distinct types of rock formations, such as northern Arizona (where the Grand Canyon is located) and Hawaii (volcanic islands). How were the rock formations in each place created, and what are the main differences between them?
3.
Why do you think geologists are eager to study the processes involved in creating and changing rock formations? Explain what useful knowledge can be gained from studying rocks and rock formations.
Discrepant Events:
STEM Events
Simulations:
Websites/ORC Sites
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/floatingrock/al.html
Literature:
Rocks: Hard, Soft, Smooth and Rough by Natalie Rosinsky
Sedimentary Rocks and The Rock Cycle (The Shaping and Reshaping of Earth's Surface) by Joanne Mattern
Igneous Rocks and the Rock Cycle (Shaping and Reshaping of Earth's Surface) by Joanne Mattern
Text References
Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science
Experiments on Rocks and the Rock Cycle (Do-It-Yourself Science) by Zella Williams
Rocks and Minerals: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects by Janice VanCleave
Related Vocabulary Words:
Magma, Lava, intrusive igneous rock, extrusive igneous rock, strata, stratification, foliated, nonfoliated
Content: Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks form in different ways
Lesson Plans
"The Rock Cycle Race"- Review Lesson
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec670/cardboard/board/r/rockcyclerace/index.htm
Instructional Objective
Learners will be able to identify a variety of factors and processes pertaining to rock formation, rock types, and the rock cycle. The overall instructional goal of The Rock Cycle Race is to provide practice and reinforcement for sixth-grade science students regarding this instructional objective.
In the state of California, curriculum frameworks focus on teaching Earth Science at the sixth-grade level (http://www.cde.ca.gov/board/pdf/science.pdf). The learning standards established for sixth-grade students in San Diego City Schools (http://www-internal.sandi.net/standards/HTML/SciK12.html) is typical for many districts and include developing an understanding of the earth's structure as well as the processes that shape the earth.
The Rock Cycle Race supports these standards. Students play this game by following paths that replicate the processes of the rock cycle. Students advance on the board by successfully answering questions designed to test and reinforce their understanding of these processes and the rock types created from these processes.
Learners & Context of Use
The game targets middle-school students taking integrated physical science which includes a unit on Earth materials, specifically rocks and the rock cycle. In California schools, this content is presented to sixth-grade students ranging in age from 11 to 12 years. Generally, students will have had little prior knowledge regarding rocks and the rock cycle.
The game is designed to be played in a middle-school science classroom. Few accommodations are needed to play The Rock Cycle Race. Table or floor space is needed to set up and play the game. The game can be played once during a 50 minute middle-school class period by three players, or by six players with three teams of two students. Students will need approximately five minutes to set up the board and five minutes to clean up with actual play time lasting between 30 and 35 minutes.
Object of the Game
The Rock Cycle Race is a race board game in which players move along the path of the rock cycle. All players begin at "Start" and the first to reach "Finish" wins the game. The playing path is divided into board spaces that provide players with a choice in the direction of the path taken as well as shortcuts and obstacles.
Players advance along the board by correctly answering question cards. Each question card has two levels of questions-"Rock Questions" and the more difficult "Boulder Questions". The Boulder level questions allow players to advance more board spaces. Before the question is read, the player chooses the level of question she/he will try to answer.
Game Materials
Inside the game box, you will find the following objects
The Playing Board
The path for The Rock Cycle Race board is divided into three colors corresponding to the three rock categories - igneous is red, sedimentary is blue, and metamorphic is green.
There are also three types of question cards corresponding to the three kinds of rocks - igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. The three types of cards use the same color plan as the board path. Players answer questions that match the path section they are in. For example, if a player is in the Metamorphic section (green) they answer questions from the Metamorphic Rock Question cards (also green).
Each card contains two questions: a "Rock Question" (an easy level) and a "Boulder Question," (a more difficult level). The "Rock Question" allows the player to advance 1 to 3 spaces if answered correctly. The "Boulder Question" allows the player to advance 4 to 5 spaces. If the player answers the question incorrectly, she/he will be penalized by the same number of spaces she/he would have been rewarded.
Time Required
A typical game can be played once during a 50 minute middle-school class period by three players, or alternatively, six players with three teams of two players. Students will need approximately five minutes to set up the board and five minutes to clean up. Actual play will last 30 to 35 minutes.
The Rules
Set up
Open the board and place the three types of question cards, Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic, face down on the designated areas on the board.
Play
- Each player selects a rock as a playing piece and places their rock on "Start."
- Each player rolls the die. The player with highest number goes first. The student to her/his right is the Question Reader who draws from the matching question card pile and reads the question. For example, play begins in the red, Igneous Rock section, and so the Question Reader draws the top card from the Igneous Rock Questions. The third student is the Timekeeper and turns on the 30 second timer. With each turn, these roles shift to the right.
- Before the Question Reader reads the question and the number of spaces each is worth, the Player must pick which type of question to answer: either a "Rock Question" (easy level) or a "Boulder Question" (more difficult level). If answered correctly, a "Rock Question" will allow the Player to advance forward up to 3 spaces. A "Boulder Question" will allow the Player to advance 4 or 5 spaces.
- Once the question and its worth are read, the Timekeeper turns the hour-glass timer. When time has run, she/he out calls "Time". At that point, the Player must give her/his final answer. The Question Reader will see the correct answer on the card and will verify if the answer is correct.
- If the Player answers correctly before time runs out, she/he advances the number of board spaces stated on the card. If the Player answers incorrectly, she/he moves backwards the number of spaces stated on the card. No one can move backwards further than the Start space.
- Next, the Player to the right takes her/his turn. The Question Reader and the Timekeeper roles also shift to the right.
Rules- The object of the game is to reach "Finish" and the first player to do so wins the game. Players do NOT need to have the exact number of spaces. For example, if the Player is only 3 spaces from finish and correctly answers a Boulder Question worth 5 spaces, then she/he can advance to "Finish" and wins the game.
- Each player attempts only one question per turn.
- The Question Reader draws cards from the top of the question pile and returns to the bottom of the question pile.
- If the Player lands on a space with directions, she/he completes those directions before the next person takes her/his turn. For example, if the Player lands on the board space that says, " Cooled Advance 3" then she/he moves her/his rock piece 3 spaces forward on the board before the next person's turn. This applies with forward movement and backward movement.
- For True/False questions, players only need to say if the statement is True or False. When false, the card states the correct answer which is read by the Question Reader.
- If players land on a Detour space, they must take that path. For example, landing on the "Submerge Detour" forces the Player to proceed along the Submergence Subway.
- At "Process Point", players can move in either direction.
- Where "Submergence Subway" and "Crystallization Crossway" intersect, players must stay on their current path and may not cross over to another path.
VariationsWe designed the game to accommodate various numbers of players and types of students.
Design Process
Ellington, Addinall, and Percival (1982) discuss the 'snakes and ladders' class of board games and points to The Great Blood Race as a good example of a game that teaches students about the human circulatory system. It occurred to us that such a format could easily support the learning of systems, processes, and cycles found in science. We decided to focus on the rock cycle since one of our team members had a background in earth science and could serve as a subject matter expert.
We gathered background information on the game's content through both web searches and using grade-appropriate text books used in local San Diego schools. The game board was based on an image we found athttp://duke.usask.ca/~reeves/prog/geoe118/geoe118.011.html. We also contacted an earth science teacher to review the questions for content and appropriateness. To determine the conduct of the play, we held brainstorming and play trial sessions.
Initially, we intended for players to use a spinner to determine the level of difficulty for each question. However, we soon realized that this was contrary to the literature regarding motivational theory. Keller & Suzuki (1988) point out that one element critical to motivating students is their confidence. Although there are many dimensions to confidence, they state that three of the most important are perceived competence, perceived control, and expectancy for success. Allowing players to select the difficulty of each question supports these dimensions, particularly the latter two. In addition, allowing players to choose levels of questions, and consequently the number of spaces they can move, increases the risk factor for players. Players must strategize. Also, by basing the movement of their pieces on questions about the rock cycle, players are encouraged/motivated to increase their knowledge of the rock cycle in order to win.
"Making Sedimentary Rocks"
Introduction
Review what a sedimentary rock is. Review common types of sedimentary rocks (sandstone, conglomerate, shale and limestone).
Have students stack papers on their desk. Ask them which paper got there first (A: the one on the bottom). Sedimentary rocks form in the same way, in layers, with the older ones at the bottom.
Tell class that during this project they will simulate (or model) what happens over hundreds of thousands to millions of years as sedimentary rocks are formed in layers in different environments.
Discuss what a model is. (Examples of models: model airplane, dolls, dinosaur model, video games)
Divide students into groups of about 4.
For each of the environments in the table below (river, beach, shallow and deep ocean):
Have students describe from their experience what the environment is like. What sorts of things do they think they would see there?
After describing an environment, have student groups choose which of the materials they would include in their milk carton to represent that environment (these items are listed in the second and third columns of the table).
Have students fill one of their cups about 2/3 full of the appropriate sediment and associated fossils.
Mix plaster with water according to manufacturers directions. Have each student group fill the remainder of their cup with plaster and stir. Explain that this is much faster than rocks are actually made. The plaster acts like the cement that holds real sedimentary rocks together.
Have each group put sediment mixed with plaster into their milk carton and pat it down to form a flat layer.
Start the next environment in the table by the same process. Make sure that student groups do not mix different layers or shake their milk carton. Mix plaster in small batches (one for each environment) to avoid it drying too quickly. For the limestone layer, mix plaster a little more watery than usual because chalk will absorb water. The plaster of the first layer does not need to be dry before adding the next. If it is really soupy, sprinkle a little dry plaster on the top before adding the next layer.
After plaster has dried (about 20 minutes), take the layers of sedimentary rock out of the milk carton. (You may need to rip the milk carton off!)
Have student groups rub it lightly with very fine sand paper and draw what the layers of "rock" look like in their notebook (noting colors, textures, and other features in the margins of their picture). Show them images of real rock layers from places like the Grand Canyon, southern Utah, or something closer to home.
ASSESSMENT:
If your class has already covered types of sedimentary rocks, ask students to identify the types of sedimentary rocks present in their model, even though they are not real.
Ask students to recall which types of environments each rock type represents. If the environment in this one spot changed over time from a river to a beach to a shallow ocean to a deep ocean what must have happened? Sea level rise!
Extension: Have students be paleontologists and dig for fossils in the layers of rock. Where would you expect to find the most clamshell fossils? Fish fossils? Use picks, chisels and small hammers to find them.
EXTENSIONS:
Have students be paleontologists and dig for fossils in the layers of rock. Where would you expect to find the most clamshell fossils? Fish fossils? Use picks, chisels and small hammers to find them.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Sea level changes can be caused when either the land level sinks (called subsidence) or when the water level rises, or when both processes are happening together. Water level can rise because glaciers melt, adding water to the oceans, or when plate tectonic movements shallow the ocean basins displacing water onto the edges of continents. It is a natural process that has gone on since there have been oceans on Earth!
This activity works best when students have already reviewed types of sedimentary rocks (conglomerate, sandstone, shale, and limestone). Note that the same rock types can form in several different environments. This is a good topic of discussion, especially if students recognize that the soil is potting soil found on land. Shale that forms in swampy floodplain areas can look very much like shale that is from the ocean floor or even shale from a lake bottom. Fossils are a good way to tell the difference. Similarly, sand dunes formed in the desert are made out of sandstone just like the beach sand (and not all beaches are made of sand). One must be a detective to figure out what past environments were like!
For a shorter demonstration version of this activity, omit the plaster and milk cartons and tell students the story of changing environments as you add layers of sediment and "fossils" to a rectangular fish tank (or any container that you can see through). They are able to see the layers right away, although the connection to sedimentary rocks might be more of a challenge.
Discrepant Events
STEM Events
Simulations:
Websites/ORC Sites
Literature:
The Rock Factory: The Story About the Rock Cycle by Jacqui Bailey
What is the Rock Cycle? (Let's Rock!) by Natalie Hyde
Text References
Investigating Rocks: They Rock Cycle (Do It Yourself) by Will Hurd
Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science
Experiments on Rocks and the Rock Cycle (Do-It-Yourself Science) by Zella Williams
Rocks and Minerals: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects by Janice VanCleave
Related Vocabulary Words:
Rock Cycle, Rock, erosion, deposition, composition, texture
Content: Soil is unconsolidated material that contains nutrient matter and weathered rock
Lesson Plans
Describing Soil
Discrepant Events
" Research Different Types of Soil" pg. 179-180 from Science Wizardry for Kids by Margaret Kendra and Phyllis S. Williams
STEM Events
Simulations:
Websites/ORC Sites
Literature:
Sand, Silt, and Mud and the Rock Cycle (Shaping and Reshaping of Earth's Surface) by Joanne Mattern
Text References
Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science
Experiments on Rocks and the Rock Cycle (Do-It-Yourself Science) by Zella Williams
Rocks and Minerals: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects__ by Janice VanCleave
Related Vocabulary Words:
Soil, Parent Rock, Bedrock, Soil Texture, Soil Structure, Humus, Leaching